


A Part of Them

by Eryessa



Category: All Elite Wrestling, Being the Elite
Genre: F/M, Family Drama, Friendship, Health problems, Kidney failure, Support
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:40:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25752982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eryessa/pseuds/Eryessa
Summary: Hallie Taylor is sick. She’s only getting worse. When she gets news from her doctor about the state of her kidneys, she feels alone no matter if her friends are around. It seems her friends are at least trying, when her brother Chuck Taylor seems to disappear when she needs family the most. It’s up to her best friend Orange Cassidy and the man she has had a crush on for the last year to help her through these difficult times.
Kudos: 5





	1. Sick

**Author's Note:**

> I have always had kidney problems. Now I have recently just gone through a procedure that will help me go on dialysis. But I decided the only way I could process my thoughts and feelings about what is going on is to write about it in the form of a fan fiction. Most of what the character Hallie is going through is what I am going through in my head at the moment.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hallie doesn’t feel good. She’s helped out by Kenny until the end of the show.

**Chapter 1: Sick**

Hallie rested her head back against the wall of the arena her brother had brought her to. Chuck Taylor, one third of the infamous group known as Best Friends, had invited his older sister to travel around with him in AEW. Ever since her health took a bit of a nose dive, her little brother thought that it was better if she had some fun in her life before inevitably she was tied to something that would save her life.

But then again, she had at least some time before that were to happen. And with everything going to hell in a hand basket thanks to a global plague raging, and people in Florida being idiots, she had plenty of time to kill.

“Hallie?” She opened her eyes and looked up at the head of the women’s division, one Kenny Omega. “What are you doing out here? I thought they allowed you to be in the audience.”

“Didn’t feel like it.” She answered, trying not to look down at his wrestling tights. He was expected to go on later that night in Daily’s Place, but due to his rib injury he couldn’t participate.

“Are you okay?”

“Just tired.”

His blue eyes looked her over. She tried not to stare at him. Of all the wrestlers to stop and ask if she was okay, it had to be one that she had a crush on. Not that he would want anything to do with her romantically. She was shaped like a pear; she had running gag going on in her head about a pair of baggy shorts. Sure she tried her hardest to stay in shape but with her health going down hill, it was hard.

During one of her slow blinks to try to stay awake, Kenny did a major no-no in regards to staying six feet apart. He put his hand on her forehead, something her Mama used to do when she was alive. Even if she was still wearing her face mask, she didn’t want to risk getting any adverse reactions to the no-no virus.

“Come on,” his hand moved down her arm and started to guide her away from the wall. “I’ll put you up in my office.”

Since Kenny was an executive Vice President he had his own office of places in the Daily’s Place sports center arena. Hallie hadn’t been privileged enough to see if for herself before then. Kenny had always been nice to her, a lot of the others did as well considering that she usually only hung out with her brother, the rest of Best Friends, and a select few others she allowed to know her secret.

“Are your kidneys hurting again?” Kenny asked as he broke another social distancing rule, he put his arm around her shoulders. “You feel a little warm.”

“No, I’m just really tired.”

“Are you going to see a doctor about this?”

“Tomorrow, I have an appointment at three with my kidney specialist.” She said.

“Do you need a ride?”

“I don’t want to put you out like that.”

“I have nothing better to do. I’m happy to help a friend out.”

She had known the man for a year, he was everything plus nice. Because of her medical, and her medical insurance, she couldn’t get a job or she would have lost her ability to get medical help. But every once in a while she would be given a menial task that would later earn her a check. Nothing major, though spending time at a laundromat became a habit in certain cities before they went into lock down in Florida. It was always Kenny signing the checks though.

There was a black leather couch in the room with the small desk. Kenny motioned for her to sit on it. Forget that, she laid down on it after kicking her shoes off. It was better than nothing, though the room was too cold for her to care.

“Want me to tell your brother that you’re back here?” He asked as he went through one of his bags in the room.

“If you want. I don’t even know if he’s on tonight.”

“He will be, don’t worry about it.” Kenny came back with something and draped it over her. It was one of his zip up hoodies, one of the ones that had some Japanese Kanji letterings on the front of it. “Try to rest up, Hallie.”

“Sumimasen, Kenny.” She said, using one of the few Japanese words he had taught her in the year.

He knelt down by the couch. “Why are you sorry, Hallie?”

“Invading your space.”

“You’re not.”

“Being a burden.”

“You’re not. Now just get some sleep. I’ll be around to check on you. No more sumimasen talk.” He pulled the hoodie up around her shoulders and then rubbed her back lightly.

She watched him leave. It was hard to not feel guilty or feel ashamed that because she wasn’t feeling well she was putting him out. He didn’t have to worry about her the way he did but he did, and it was her fault.

But then he was a good man, he had basically been her white knight when the little punk Guevara had made fun of her with MJF when she came around when the first Double or Nothing happened. She angry cried in the hall because two little, and she was older than them, assholes made fun of her weight.

A few minutes after Kenny left the room, Hallie fell asleep wrapped in a jacket that smelled just like Kenny, which helped ease her into a blackened sleep state.

* * *

“Orange, don’t wake her.” Hallie heard Kenny’s voice. “Let her sleep a little longer.”

Hallie managed to open one eye. She was almost nose to nose with Orange Cassidy, sunglasses and all. He was kneeling in front of the couch eye level with her.

“What’s going on?” She got up on one elbow.

“Shh,” Orange said. “Home.”

She took a deep breath and looked over at Kenny. He was leaning on the end of the couch, he had been favoring his side thanks to a minor rib injury. So she wasn’t the only one in pain.

“Where’s Chuck?” She asked.

Orange helped her up. “Out in the hall.”

Hallie took a deep breath, and looked at Kenny. “Thank you, Kenny.” She said as she held out his jacket.

“No, keep it. You look better with it. Make sure she takes her meds, Orange.” Kenny said.

“I forget one time and you’re jumping down my throat.” Hallie said, knowing how Kenny had been two weeks prior.

“You are my friend, I have to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.” Kenny said as Orange opened the door for me.

“Home time, Baybee.” Orange said.

Hallie rolled her eyes. The man was as the same in front of the camera as he was behind it. Orange just didn’t seem to care, even if his real names was James. He pretty much answered only to Orange anymore.

With Kenny’s jacket wrapped around her shoulders, Hallie and Orange left the office. Standing out in the hall was her brother Chuck and Trent, the third member of Best Friends. She looked over her shoulder and looked at Kenny as he stood at the door watching them.

“Ready?” Chuck asked.

“Man, hold on. Hals, are you okay? When Kenny said you weren’t feeling good you had me worried.” Trent said as he looked down at her.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I just got really tired. I didn’t want to bother anyone.” She said.

“No more saying sorry.” Kenny said from the door. “You just promise to take care of yourself, or I may just beat your ass.”

She saw Orange smile. Hallie looked back at Kenny and he leaned against the door jam and crossed his arms. Kenny joked before of beating her butt over things, especially when it came to keeping her healthy. But he never actually hurt her, it was just all talk, empty threats that resulted in laughs.

But his face was set in stone, stone cold.

“I’m taking you to your appointment tomorrow, just remember that.” Kenny said after a beat of silence.

“You have an appointment?” Trent asked.

“Nephrologist, my kidney doctor.” Hallie said.

“Do you want me to go?”

Trent was a sweetheart. Chuck didn’t even say anything as he got his stuff together and started to walk away.

Hallie shook her head. “No, but I’ll let you know how things go. You should probably keep my brother occupied. Did you want to go, Orange?”

“We’ll talk at home.” He started to guide her in the direction that Chuck was going in.

“I have to be there at three, could you pick me up at two-thirty, Kenny?” She asked.

“Absolutely.” He called out.

Best Friends always carpooled to AEW now that they only performed at Daily’s Place weekly. So the four of them traveled together. After dropping Trent off at his apartment, Hallie went home with Chuck and Orange, since all three shared a nice condo near the ocean. When they got to their parking lot, Chuck didn’t get out.

“I’m going to go get some beers. Want anything?” He asked as Orange and Hallie got out.

“No, I’m just going to take my meds and go to bed.” Hallie said.

Orange picked up his gym bag. “Orange and Jack.”

“Kay, got it. See you in a bit.”

Hallie sighed as she watched her brother pull out. “Does he even care? Does he care that I’m not doing good?”

“Who knows, I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

So Orange wouldn’t go to the appointment. But she knew he wouldn’t stop thinking about her. Of the three, Orange may have been the strangest but he had the best personality and a wonderful personality.

He was her best friend, not just one himself.


	2. The Appointment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hallie learns what is at stake, she learns that she needs a procedure done that would make receiving dialysis faster. 
> 
> Hallie learns that Kenny is the rock she needs when everything seems to insanely scary

**Chapter 2: The Appointment**

Orange sat at the island in the kitchen as Hallie stood at the stove. She flipped the four pieces of bacon and a few French fries.

“You haven’t eaten enough.” He said.

Hallie looked at him. “I haven’t been hungry.” She walked over to the fridge and opened it. She pulled out the orange juice with calcium and looked for a glass in the cupboard.

“You need to eat more.”

“I would if I didn’t feel sick.” She was already feeling sick to her stomach but because he was adamant about her eating something, anything, she had to put up with it.

He stood up. “Are you sick now?”

“I just feel like there is a hole sitting in the middle of my stomach.” She turned back to the stove.

Orange took her elbow and had her look at him. He pressed his hand to her forehead while his eyes narrowed.

“No fever.” He said.

“Yeah, I know. I’ll have it checked more accurately when I go to my appointment. I can’t even enter the building without my temp being checked and getting a face mask.” She said.

“Sorry that I can’t go.”

“Practice?” She asked as she went back to the bacon.

“Yes.”

“Can you hit Chuck in the head for me?”

“Sure thing, Baybee.” He smiled that freshly squeezed smirk before he sat back down.

She had gotten up later than she wanted. Chuck was already gone when she got up. Orange of course stayed behind until she had to leave with Kenny. It was Thursday, usually they had nothing going on but the guys did go practice almost daily. If they didn’t they got a little stir crazy. It was noon when she had started to make the bacon and fries, which was the only thing that didn’t make her totally sick to her stomach.

After getting the bacon and fries off the stove, she turned around to put them down on the island. “Don’t you dare steal any.” She told Orange.

Only problem, when she came back with a napkin, he had a fry in his mouth.

“You’re a pain in the butt.” She shook her head as she sat down.

“You love me.” He reached for her glass of orange juice.

Her shoulders sank, and he smiled at her.

This was Orange Cassidy, her best friend of Best Friends. He knew what to do to make her smile, to laugh. She appreciated him the most, especially when her brother didn’t seem to stick around for long. Even being stuck in the house, watching bad action movies that usually consisted of Vin Diesel to keep her mind off a pandemic that could have adverse effects on her health, or showing up with treats just to see her smile, Orange was just the right person to deal with when her mind was in a bad place.

Too bad he had a girlfriend. If he didn’t maybe she wouldn’t be stuck with fantasies of a different man in her life.

Once she finished her four pieces of bacon, and managed to drink an entire glass of orange juice, because Orange had a habit of stealing off her plate, Hallie went to clean up her mess.

“I’ll do it.” Orange stood up.

She sighed. “I guess I’ll take a shower for my appointment. Thank you, James.”

“Anytime, Hallie.” He rubbed her back as she moved out of the way.

Florida was a hot spot that time of the year. For more than necessary with what was going on around America at the time. Hallie only really spent not even a year there thanks to her brother moving her down. She shook her head knowing that her brother may have lived in the same house but he seemed to live a million miles away in his own little world.

Hallie wiped the steam off the mirror and looked at herself. She was pale, she had long since lost her tan and yet she still hated what looked back at her. Had it really been sixteen years since she felt beautiful, since she felt someone...that part of her life was so old it was amazing she hadn’t died of celibacy since then. No man ever looked at her like her ex used to. But then again, that relationship went nowhere when the guy couldn’t even read at a 3rd grade reading level.

She pulled on the shorts she chose, a tank top that Kenny had given her and ran a brush through her dark blonde hair. At least Hallie felt refreshed a little, she felt slightly better after her shower.

As she grabbed her dirty pajamas and went to go put them in the clothes basket that was in her room. But when she opened the door, standing on the other side was Kenny.

“What?” She stepped back. “Kenny, you’re early.” She tried not to show him what she had been wearing.

“I know. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” He smiled at her.

He had her trapped inside the bathroom. As the steam had made her red in the face, she felt the jitters in her body as he stayed in one place.

“I have to get through.” She finally said.

“Oh, sorry.” He stepped back. “Are you doing better?”

She left the bathroom. “I feel better. Orange made sure I ate something since I hadn’t eaten much yesterday.”

“You’re not eating?” He followed her to her bedroom. “Why aren’t you eating?”

“I’ve had an upset stomach lately. Nauseous most of the time, so I haven’t been eating.” She said as she dropped her dirty clothes in the hamper next to her closet.

Where did she put her wallet?

Kenny leaned against the door jam. “After the appointment did you want to go do something? Within reason of course.”

“What can I do? Where can I go? I can’t do anything with the world ending outside. I have to be careful.” She picked up her wallet from the top of her dresser and then grabbed a pair of socks from the top drawer.

“I know a place. I go there when I need to get away.” He said. “I’ll take you. It’s a long distance out of the way but I think you might enjoy it. Secluded and has access to the beach.”

Considering that she lived in a condo right on the ocean, which was something she didn’t want thanks to the risks of hurricanes, it was better than watching the people who could leave their homes. Even from her bedroom window she saw people out on the beach, playing in the water.

“Hallie?” She turned to look at Kenny but found him almost right behind her. “Look, you need to focus on just getting better. Don’t worry about what’s going on outside so much.”

Easy for him to say, he was as healthy as a horse. She rolled her eyes and turned back o the window to stare out of it. 

“What’s wrong?” Kenny asked. 

“Take your pick. I just feel like something bad is going to happen. Everything seems to be getting worse and I’m scared.”

She tried to walk around him but Kenny got in front of her.

“Take it a day at a time. Maybe you’re just going through a germ right now and it’s not bad. Maybe it’s your body telling you to slow down, to change something.”

Again, easy for him to say. He wasn’t born with a disability.

“You’re not alone, Hallie, you’ve got me, Orange, Chuck.”

She gave a horse laugh at the sound of her brother’s name.

“Want me to talk to him?”

“No, I told Orange to hit him over the head when they’re in practice today.” She stepped around him to leave her room.

Kenny followed after her. “He should be worried about you.”

“He should but he isn’t.”

They got into the front room only to find Orange laying on the couch, wearing his sunglasses and his equipment bag next to him.

“Getting ready to go?” Hallie leaned over the couch to look at him.

“Yep.” He lowered the glasses to look at him. “Just waiting for you two.”

He got up and stretched. Orange grabbed his stuff, patted Hallie on the shoulder and then walked out the door, humming a tune that made as much sense as Orange did.

“We have some time to waste, want to play a game?” Kenny asked as he motioned to the PS4 that was attached to the television.

“Might as well, I call Ryu though.” Hallie said as she grabbed one of the two PS controllers.

* * *

Kenny and Hallie left at two-fifteen for the Jacksonville Medical Clinic where Hallie’s kidney specialist was located. The drive was quiet, her jittery legs wouldn’t stop shaking the closer they got. Her hand shook, not just out of fear but she’d been obscenely weak for the last two weeks.

When she had a sudden trip to the ER due to her kidneys she knew she scared the crap out of people. Because visitors weren’t allowed in hospitals, she was alone, texting people as to what she was doing and how things were going. Kenny was the one that was there through most of it, even her own brother didn’t answer much of her texts.

Just as Kenny pulled into a parking space at the clinic, he shut off the car and put his hand on her knee.

“You need to calm down, Hallie-san.” He squeezed her knee a little.

She leaned her head back against the headrest. “I can’t. I know, I just know something is going to happen.” She rubbed at the crook of her left elbow, the deep scar that still rested there.

His hand rested on top of hers. “And I’ll be there for you, no matter what. Whatever happens, happens and I will be there for you.”

She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut. He was right. Kenny was always right. Ever so perfect in everything.

Too perfect for her. She needed to not think about him like that. He was just a friend, nothing more.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be. Try not to get too hot out here.” She said as she opened her door.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.” He smiled at her.

The process of just getting into the clinic was to get her temperature scanned, and she is given a mask. She knew that the training facility had similar measures, but the wrestlers didn’t need to have face masks, just visitors. So she got her temp checked, given a medically approved face mask and checked in for her appointment.

Luckily, as it was a Thursday, it wasn’t busy, not that Nephrology had a lot of patients coming in to be seen. She was called back fairly quickly. The medical assistant needed to check her weight, which she found she had lost close to fifteen pounds within two weeks since her last ER visit. If only she could get rid of what hung around her middle, everything may look better.

* * *

“So, you know what to expect,” Dr. Raymond asked as he handed Hallie her papers after the visit was over with.

She only nodded. The news had been almost exactly what she feared. The papers told her what to expect, but it still wasn’t what she wanted to know, it wasn’t what she had planned on. Nothing she had planned on was what needed to be done.

“You’ll hear from the hospital tomorrow or Monday to start getting you prepared for the procedure. There is nothing to worry, it’s a common thing, with minimal risk. You won’t even be admitted.”

Hallie walked out of the clinic with a streak of tears falling. She was numb at the news, it was something she had heard about but never planned on ever having to deal with. Especially dealing with it alone. Sure those that were close to her said they were there for her but no one was going to be in there to hold her hand while they shove a needle in her jugular vein.

“So, how did it go?” Kenny asked.

She took off her mask and wiped away her tears. “I have to get a CVC next Thursday.”

“What’s that?”

“Central Venous Catheter. They are putting a catheter into my jugular vein to start me on dialysis.”

She caught just how big Kenny’s eyes got.

“When?” He asked.

“Next week, they’ve already scheduled the procedure for Thursday.”

“Shit,” he breathed out and sat back in his seat.

She couldn’t help it, Hallie started to cry. Her eyes burned too much to keep it in. She tried to hide it from Kenny, but she broke. She broke down and cried the hardest she had in the longest time.

“No, no,” Kenny broke into Japanese and pulled her to him. He practically dragged her over to his side of the car.

He put his hands on her cheeks, his thumbs brushed away her tears but it wasn’t enough. It was never enough. Hallie shook with each sob, with each cry, as a memory she had when she was a teenager came back full force. It wouldn’t be the first time she had something stuck in an artery, and the last time scared the crap out of her as a teenager.

How could she handle it now? How?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of what Hallie feels is what I had felt when I got the news the first time. Most of what has a been said is what I have happened in real life. The next update will get further into it.


	3. Spread the News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hallie learns just where friendship lies, and who she could turn to. And it doesn’t include her brother.

**Chapter 3: Spread the News**

Hallie spent twenty minutes just crying. She held onto Kenny, just losing all ability to function. By the end, when she was too tired to cry anymore, when no more tears fell, she continued to grip his shirt. Whatever he was saying had no effect on her, because it made no sense. Maybe to him it did, but not to her.

When she had quieted down, he pulled back enough to look at her.

“Sumimasen,” she whispered as she tried to wipe her eyes of the salt.

“No, no sumimasen. There’s nothing to be sorry about, Sweets. You have nothing to be sorry about. If you need to cry, just do it.”

“I’m just scared. I had something similar done when I was a teenager. I had a really bad kidney infection and they stuck a PICC line in my arm.” She lifted her left arm and showed the small scare on the inside of her bicep. “It hurt, it hurt a lot and I screamed. I felt it, they said that I wouldn’t but I did. I felt push of the tube going into my arm.”

A new set of tears started to fall. Like before Kenny was there to wipe them away with his thumbs.

“Okay, but that was a long time ago. Things change over time. Maybe it will be different because it’s in a larger vein, the jugular is bigger.”

“I’ll be alone again.”

She had him there and she knew Kenny wouldn’t argue. She would be alone because of the visitor ban in the hospitals.

Hallie pushed away from Kenny so that she could sit back in her seat.

“I felt it. Even though my mama was behind a window, I couldn’t see her, I couldn’t hear her but she could hear me. I just wanted to hold someone’s hand but the nurse pulled her hand away and I screamed through the pain.”

When Kenny tried to touch her but she pulled away.

“I’ll be awake, I’ll be awake again and I am so scared.”

“I know you are, Hallie. I’m scared, too.” His hand pushed her hair from her face. “But you’re so much stronger than you think you are. Being scared is human nature. Everyone gets scared at something in their life. There have been many times I thought I had ended my career.”

“I, I, I,” she started to shake again. “I’m always alone.”

“You’re not, not with me. Cassidy or any one of our friends are there for you.”

That wasn’t what she meant but she wasn’t going to correct him. Him of all people didn’t need to know the thoughts that swam between her ears. She’d rather not lose him as a friend if she ever opened up about her feelings to him.

She sat there for a few more minutes, trying to collect any sort of rational thought, feeling and composure that she could salvage. Hallie knew she looked like a mess, more so than what she usually did. Yet, Kenny didn’t stop rubbing her hand or her knee, he even wiped away her tears that still periodically fell.

“I need to tell the guys. I’ll wear my mask, I just don’t want to go back to the condo just yet.” She told Kenny.

“Okay, but if your brother does something stupid, I may not have the strength to not deck him.”

“I’ll scream at him first, then you can deck him.” She smiled the slimmest of smirks over at Kenny.

“Deal,” he said as he started the car.

Hallie went back to rest her head on the window. The AC was on, it blew cool air in her face but it was Kenny’s hand that made her look down. His hand reached over and took hers, linked their fingers together and she pretty much allowed the contact to happen. It was better than nothing when all she could think about was that in the coming week she would be getting a tube stuck in her neck.

* * *

Hallie wore the mask she had been given to get into the practice center at Daily’s Place. With it being Thursday, a day after a show, a few of the performers were already prepping for their places in the following week’s Dark tapings and Dynamite show. Hallie saw Adam Page’s truck and Trent’s car parked near each other when Kenny pulled in.

“Cody’s here.” He said in regards to the other Executive Vice President of AEW.

“MJF is here as well.” She saw the black Mercedes that the guy paraded around.

“Just ignore him.”

Easy for him to say, but Hallie let the thought slide out of her head when she saw both Young Bucks’ rentals pull into a few spaces near Kenny’s car.

The Young Bucks were Kenny’s close friends, and it was easy for her to laugh when Kenny, Matt and Nick got together. It was easily the best thing to have around when she wasn’t feeling the best.

“Hey, you two. What are you doing here?” Matt asked as he pulled his stuff from the back seat of his car. “Hallie, I thought Trent said you had an appointment.”

“Just got back from it.” She answered as she put on her face mask.

“How did it go? Are you feeling better?” Nick asked.

“No, not really.” She saw the brother look at each other before they turned back to her and Kenny. “I have to have a procedure done on next Thursday.”

“Damn, is it bad?” Matt asked.

“It could be. I just wanted to tell Chuck first.” She rubbed at her arm. “And Trent and Orange. Kenny already knows.”

She saw the way the brothers looked at Kenny. For his part, the Canadian born wrestler said nothing, instead he placed his hand on Hallie’s back and guided her toward the training facility.

Temps were checked by a staff member at the door, who thanked Hallie for wearing a mask. Hallie didn’t plan on sticking around, even if she had no real way of getting back to the condo unless she caught a city bus. The group seemed to sense she was having a hard time so they kept their mouths shut until they got to where the two practice rings were set up and Best Friends were practicing with Adam Page and FTR, the newest recruits.

“Ma’am,” Dax said when seeing her.

“Hi.” Hallie responded. She knew these two men came from WWE, when they were released they were quick to jump ship to AEW. She just hadn’t really interacted with them since they got in, she’d been preoccupied with not feeling good.

Orange shoved his hands in his pockets and dropped off the apron, landing in front of Hallie.“Hey.” He said. “What’s the word?”

Trent leaned on the ropes. “Yeah, are you doing better, Hal?”

She looked up at her brother, Chuck wasn’t even looking at her. He was more interested in his wrist wraps. Hallie felt Kenny put his hand on her shoulder and she looked at him.

“I’m being scheduled for a procedure next Thursday. It’s called a CVC.” She felt her hand start to shake. “It’s necessary for me to start dialysis.” Hallie finished as she looked at Orange.

Dax, Cash and Adam each gave a worried look. The Jackson brothers shifted as Hallie took a chance to look at her brother. He had turned his back to her.

Orange grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her into him. He hugged her, Orange held onto Hallie and rubbed her back.

“You have me.” He murmured into her ear.

“I know.” Hallie gave as a muffled reply.

Trent jumped off the ring and hugged both Orange and Hallie. This resulted in a giggle from her as the tanned man swamped her in height.

Orange wiggled out of the and rolled into the wrestling ring. While Chuck had his back to Hallie, Orange put his hands in his pockets and performed a drop kick to Chuck’s back, before doing a kip-up a moment later.

“What the fuck was that for?” Chuck hollered at Orange when he got to his feet.

“That’s for ignoring your sister.” Kenny spoke up.

Chuck glared at her. “So what, you knew you would eventually have dialysis.”

That comment cut into her chest like the procedure would do in time. She took a step back, right into Kenny’s hold.

“No, no, you’re not going anywhere. You need to stand up to your brother.” He whispered into her ear, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. “You have to tell him, tell him what you feel.”

She swallowed and nodded. Hallie’s voice shook as she started to talk in a louder voice. “Do you even know what I went through as a kid? You were around for most of it, do you remember what I had to go through that one time I was hospitalized with a severe kidney infection.”

He said nothing.

“They put a PICC line in me, right here.” She lifted her left arm and showed a small scar that was visible enough to see. “They put a catheter in there and said I wouldn’t feel anything. I did. I felt pain, I screamed. I know mama told you, I know she did. She told the church, she told me she cried because the doctors did nothing for my pain. I screamed and they did nothing to make it better.”

Chuck looked away.

“I’m scared, Chuck. Can’t you understand that? They are going to shove a needle into my jugular vein, and I’ll be awake. I’m scared that it will happen again. That I will feel electrical pain radiating down my arm and they aren’t going to do anything about it. I just want to know you’re there, that I can turn to you and you will be there.”

He turned away, walked to the other side of the ring and got out of it. He just walked away. Chuck left her behind.

* * *

Hallie didn’t know where she was going, nor did she care. Her head rested against the window of Kenny’s car as he drove. After Chuck walked away from her, Kenny told the others that he was taking her out somewhere. Orange and Trent followed in Trent’s little zippy car, the Jackson boys followed in their cars, Adam brought up the rear in his truck. Wherever they were going, the group decided to head out together.

Kenny headed out of Jacksonville, into the country but the ocean was still within view of the highway. Hollie wasn’t really looking at where she was heading, her head was in a whole different place.

“Do you want to stay with Orange and your brother or do you want to stay with me?” Kenny asked her out of left field.

She lifted her head. “I don’t want to put you out.”

“You’re not. I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want you to.”

“Let me think about it.”

She lifted her head when Kenny took a left from the road. The path he took was’t surfaced, it was sand and dirt covered that traveled through dense trees. It was starting to get dark, it became darker because of the trees, before it opened up where there was a really nice looking cabin, log cabin to be exact with the ocean as a backdrop right behind it. High windows, natural wood and everything that made it beautiful. Too expensive with her measly income.

“Nice isn’t it?” Kenny asked as he parked in front of it.

“Did you rent it?” She asked.

“I own several places. Got my home in Japan, a cabin in Winnipeg and this place here.” Kenny said.

“You own this place?” She turned to look at him.

“Yep. Now that I’m stuck in Florida, I needed a place to come and escape the apocalypse.” He opened his door and got out as Adam pulled up next to them.

Kenny opened the door for Hallie, since she was still too busy staring at the obscenely beautiful cabin. She got out as the others pulled up as well.

“Wow, when you said you got a beach side property, you weren’t joking were you?” Trent asked as he looked around.

“No, I definitely wasn’t. Anyone want some non alcoholic drinks?” Kenny asked as he took Hallie’s hand and guided her toward the front door.

He had everyone take their shoes of inside the door, in a little mud room type area. Hallie knew that it had a special name in Japan, but she couldn’t recall what it was. The front room was beautiful, with minimal anime and video game merchandise, it looked a bit on the modern side with black leather couch and seats in front of a large screen television. The kitchen was on the other side of the living room and from the looks of it, there was a back deck that went out to a backyard that joined with the beach.

Kenny took her all the way through and out the back. There was a fire pit out back and natural wood deck chairs and a table was out there as well.

“There are tide pools out here that you might like. I know how much you like shell hunting.” Kenny told her as she stood out there.

“I do.” She looked around. “But why bring me out here?”

“You needed to get away from people. You can at least walk out here and be safe. No need to worry about being around people, and you don’t have to be with your brother. If he isn’t going to be there for you, then you need to be somewhere you can.”

“I say do it.” Orange said from behind her.

Hallie looked at him. “Why?”

“Because, you need to be away from Chuck. You need to separate from him and focus on yourself for once.” Adam walked out with a can of something.

“You can have peace and quiet out here.” Trent added. “It’d drive me nuts, but you should have it.”

“And we come out when we need to get away, so you won’t be alone.” Matt told her.

“There’s always someone out here. You have us and these two are welcome out here when you want them.” Kenny motioned to Orange and Trent.

It was tempting, as tempted as she was willing...

“Okay, but just for a few days until I get everything settled with dialysis.” She said as she closed her eyes.

“Great. Let’s get the party started.” Kenny took her back inside. “Capcom battle royal is in full swing.”

“Yeah, I’m out of that. I’ll root from the sidelines.” Adam said as he followed the group back inside.


End file.
